Panel structure for soft-sided luggage



Aug. 16, 1966 M.-KlSH, JR

. PANEL STRUCTURE FOR SOFT-SIDED LUGGAGE Filed March 26, 1 965 2Sheets-Sheet l l Za INVENTOR. M/ 67/45! K/I/V, J

' B Y is we a4 5/1/4 69563, $923 2Fmv 1966 M. KlSH, JR 3,266,604

PANEL STRUCTURE FOR SOFT-SIDED LUGGAGE Filed March 26, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 llllllillilIlllllllllllll w W 1 I-aa.

,3 34' 5 4' Q INVENTOR Awe/0752 A7574 1/9. 55

3g '1 BY United States Patent 3,266,604 PANEL STRUCTURE FOR SOFT-SIDEDLUGGAGE Michael Kish, .lr., Hightstown, N.J., assignor to AtlanticProducts Corporation, Trenton, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey FiledMar. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 443,019 4 Claims. (Cl. 190-41) This applicationrelates to a novel panel and zipper construction for soft-sided luggage,and is a continuationin-part application of my copending applicationSerial No. 387,390, filed August 4, 1964, entitled Method of Manufacturefor Luggage, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

Soft-sided luggage is in general use, and is generally comprised of amain tubular frame body wherein fabric or fabric-type panels extend overthe ends of the tube to define the sides of the luggage. Thereafter, azipper opening is placed in one of the panels to define a flap toprovide access to the interior of the bag.

The principle of the present invention is to provide a novel closurearrangement for panels of this .general type wherein the cooperatingzipper halves connected to the panel are connected in such a manner thatthe zipper is completely hidden when closed, and so that the panelportion secured to the bag support is provided with a reinforcing wiretherein to provide rigidity for this portion when the panel is eitheropened or closed.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a novelzipper arrangement for soft-sided luggage wherein the panel remainsrelatively rigid and stiff when the flap therein is opened.

,Another object of this invention is to provide a novel zipperarrangement for soft-sided luggage.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel zipperarrangement for soft-sided luggage having an openable panel in one sidethereof wherein the panel is provided With a reinforcing wire and ahidden zipper.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the type of softsided luggage to whichthe present invention applies.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the luggage of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the manner in which thepanels of FIGURE 2 are secured to the main frame body.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of a reinforced welt used in thesecurement of the panels to the frame.

FIGURE 5 is a front view of the panel of FIGURES l and 2 which has aflap therein.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the panel of FIGURE 5 taken acrossthe lines 6-6 in FIGURE 5 to particularly illustrate the novel manner inwhich a reinforcing wire is connected to the periphery of the panelopening and the novel manner in which the zipper is conneoted to thepanel opening.

FIGURE 7 is .a cross sectional view of FIGURE 5 taken across the lines77 in FIGURE 5 particularly to illustrate the manner in which thecooperating zipper half is connected to the flap.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the arrangements shown in FIGURES6 and 7 when the zipper is closed and illustrates the manner in whichthe zipper is hidden.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, I have illustrated therein a typicalsoft-sided luggage to which the invention applies which includes a framebody 10 which may have reinforcing members 11 extending therefrom in theman 3,266,604 Ice Patented August 16, 1966 The panels 12 and 13 areconnected to the frame 10 by means of welts .15 and 16, best shown inFIGURES 3 and 4. Thus, in FIGURE 4, the welt 15 (which is identical towelt 16) is provided with an enlarged head portion 17 which may have areinforcing wire 18 extending therethrough.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the welt 15 is interposed between theinwardly bent legs of panel 12 and the edge of frame 10. Moreparticularly, the extending section of welt 15 may first be sewn toframe 10 on the stitch line 20 with this subassembly thereafter beingsewn to the panel 12 along the stitch line 21. Alternatively, the welt15 can be first sewn to the panel 12 and thereafter sewn to the frame 10so that only one stitch line is viewed from the external side of frame10. Note that the welt 15 of FIGURES 3 and 4 could be constructed in themanner identical to that illustrated in my above noted copendingapplication Serial No. 387,390 wherein the welt has a reentrant portionfor completely receiving the inwardly bent sections of panel 12.

The panel 13 which has the flap 14 therein is best shown in FIGURE 5wherein FIGURE 5 illustrates a zipper portion 30 connected about theperiphery of flap 414 and a cooperating zipper portion 31 connectedabout the periphery of the opening in panel 13.

The manner in which zipper portions 30 and 31 are secured to flap 14 andpanel 13, respectively, is best shown in FIGURES 7 and 6, respectively.Referring first to FIGURE 6, there is illustrated therein across-sectional view through the panel portion '13. It is to be noted inFIGURE 6 that the front of the panel is on the right of the drawing.Thus, the panel is formed of a main body 32 of any suitable flexiblematerial which could have an interior lining 33 secured thereto.

The zipper half 31 is provided with the usual extending fabric section34 which is shown as being folded around the end of the interior of theopening in panel 13 and sewn thereto as by the stitch line 35. Note thatthe zipper end is adjacent the front of the panel.

Thereafter, and in accordance with the invention, a rigid steel wire 36is placed adjacent the end of panel 13 and on top of the zipper fabric34, and a fabric cover 37 is wrapped about the wire and over the end ofthe periphery of the opening in panel 13 and is sewn thereto as by thestitch line 38 so as to hold the wire 36 in position. Note that the wire36 extends completely around the full length of the opening in panel 13.

Thus, when the flap 14 is open, and even when the flap 14 is closed, thewire 36 provides substantial rigidity to the normally flexible fabric,thereby substantially improving the appearance of the product andincreasing its ability to resist wear and to retain its shape even underadverse conditions of use.

Turning next to FIGURE 7, there is illustrated therein the manner inwhich the zipper half 30 is secured to the end of flap 14. Note that inFIGURE 7 the external surface of the flap 1 4 is at the right of thedrawing so that the flap is comprised, for example, of the desired flapmaterial 40 which could have an interior lining 41 which is similar tolining 33.

The zipper half 30 which has an extending fabric portion 42 in the usualmanner is then folded around the end of flap 14, and is sewn thereto asalong the stitch line '43. Thereafter a flap of a suitable finishingmaterial 44 may be sewn about the end of the complete assemblage, asillustrated, along the stitch line 45. Note that in 3 FIGURE 7 thezipper 30 extends along the rear surface of the flap.

This novel zipper arrangement then operates as illustrated in FIGURE 8wherein, when the zipper is closed, the end of flap 14 will be pulledover the top of the exterior of panel 13, since the zipper fabric 42 hasa shorter length than the zipper fabric 34. Therefore, the zipperclosure will be completely hidden from external view, and will beprotected from abusive handling.

Although this invention has been described with respect to its preferredembodiments, it should be understood that many variations andmodifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it ispreferred, therefore, that the scope of the invention be limited not bythe specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege orproperty is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a carrying bag; a main enclosed frame having first and second sidepanels enclosing the ends of said frame; one of said side panels havinga U-shaped flap the-rein cooperating with a U-shaped opening therein;and zipper means extending between the edge of said U-shaped flap andthe edge of said U-shaped opening to secure said flap to said one ofsaid side panels and to provide access to the interior of said bag Whensaid zipper means is open; said zipper means comprising first and secondcoperating zipper halves having respective extending fabric portions forsecurement of said zipper halves; and an elongated rigid metallicreinforcing Wire; first and second connection means; said fabric portionof said first zipper portion and said reinforcing Wire connected alongthe full length of the said edge of said U-shaped opening in said one ofsaid panels by said first connection means; said fabric portion of saidsecond zipper portion connected along the full length of said edge ofsaid U-shaped flap by said second connection means; said first zipperhalf having .a free edge extending outwardly from the exterior surfaceof said one of said panels adjacent its said edge; said second zipperhalf having a free edge extending outwardly from the interior surface ofsaid flap.

2. The carrying bag substantially as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidfirst and second connection means in clude lines of stitching connectingsaid respective zipper halves to the surfaces adjacent said respectiveedges of said U-shaped opening in said one of said panels and said flap.

3. The carrying bag substantially as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidoutwardly extending free edge of said second zipper half has a lengthshorter than the distance from the beginning of said free edge to saidedge of said flap whereupon said edge of said flap is pulled over to topof said edge of said U-shaped opening when said Zipper is closed.

4. The carrying bag substantially as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidfirst connect-ion means further includes an elongated fabric striplapped over said edge of said U- shaped opening and secured to theopposing surfaces of said U-shaped opening adjacent its said edge; saidwire interposed between said edge and the interior of said elongatedfabric strip.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,288,105 6/1942PlOtkin -48 2,634,836 4/1953 Warren 19048 2,746,581 5/1956 Ritter 190-412,985,265 5/1961 Gehrie 190--41 FOREIGN PATENTS 658,864 10/1951 GreatBritain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A CARRYING BAG; A MAIN ENCLOSED FRAME HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SIDEPANELS ENCLOSING THE ENDS OF SAID FRAME; ONE OF SAID SIDE PANELS HAVINGA U-SHAPED FLAP THEREIN COOPERATING WITH A U-SHAPED OPENING THEREIN; ANDZIPPER MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE EDGE OF SAID U-SHAPED FLAP AND THEEDGE OF SAID U-SHAPED OPENING TO SECURE SAID FLAP TO SAID ONE OF SAIDSIDE PANELS AND TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BAG WHEN SAIDZIPPER MEANS IS OPEN; SAID ZIPPER MEANS COMPRISING FIRST AND SECONDCOOPERATING ZIPPER HALVES HAVING RESPECTIVE EXTENDING FABRIC PORTIONSFOR SECUREMENT OF SAID ZIPPER HALVES; AND AN ELONGATED RIGID METALLICREINFORCING WIRE; FIRST AND SECOND CONNECTION MEANS; SAID FABRIC PORTIONOF SAID FIRST ZIPPER PORTION AND SAID REINFORCING WIRE CONNECTED ALONGTHE FULL LENGTH OF THE SAID EDGE OF SAID U-SHAPED OPENING IN SAID ONE OFSAID PANELS BY SAID FIRST CONNECTION MEANS; SAID FABRIC PORTION OF SAIDSECOND ZIPPER PORTION CONNECTED ALONG THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID EDGE OFSAID U-SHAPED FLAP BY SAID SECOND CONNECTION MEANS; SAID FIRST ZIPPERHALF HAVING A FREE EDGE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OFSAID ONE OF SAID PANELS ADJACENT ITS SAID EDGE; SAID SECOND ZIPPER HALFHAVING A FREE EDGE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAIDFLAP.